UNIMED WEEK IN BRUSSELS 2025, preparing the field to contribute to the new Pact for the Mediterranean

February 27, 2025

UNIMED WEEK IN BRUSSELS 2025, preparing the field to contribute to the new Pact for the Mediterranean

News

The ninth edition of the UNIMED WEEK IN BRUSSELS prepared the floor for the UNIMED network members and partners to take an active role in the shaping of the next programming period and for contributing to the Pact for the Mediterranean of the European Commission that will be adopted in autumn this year.

More than 70 people from 14 countries attended the event held last February 18-20, 2025 contributing to enrich the discussions and the presentations.

Academic cooperation and the Neighbourhood Policy of the EU

“The challenges are immense, but so too are the opportunities we generate through collaboration, driving solutions that shape the future of higher education and regional development.” UNIMED President, Dr. Kherieh Rassas, opened the event highlighting the current key moment for the future of Higher Education system and the importance of the collaboration and of the multi actors dialogue in the region.

The opening session also saw the contribution of Birgit Loeser, Head of Division MENA.1 Regional Affairs of the EEAS, European Union and UfM EU SOM Co-Chair, who – focusing on the evolution of the EU-MENA relations – made very clear that the European Institutions are putting in place a renewed interest for the region as it is clearly stated by the appointment – for the first time – of a Commissioner for the Mediterranean.

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the Barcelona Process and Joan Borrell, Deputy Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean – UfM – has framed the role of the institution played in all these years and what it could still do for Higher Education compared to what already done in the framework of research (the PRIMA programme for example). For Higher Education instead, there is the important challenge of the UfM Ministerial Conference on Higher Education and the next three months will be dedicated to creating the conditions for organizing it at the beginning of 2026.

UNIMED Director, Marcello Scalisi, highlighted how it is important to keep the regional dimension for the future of the programming period and that even if each country has its own priority, we need a regional consensus, a regional priority and dimension.

R&I cooperation across the Mediterranean, Africa, and the Balkans

On the second day, the morning session was organised in collaboration with the European Commission DG Research and Innovation (DG RTD) and the UfM.

Introduced by the Head of Unit of the DG Research & Innovation, Nienke Buisman, the focus has been on the Positive Agenda which will be reflected in the new Pact for the Mediterranean, as all the priorities of the R&I have to be decided together with the actors of the region and in this context the role of the networks, such as UNIMED, are pivotal to collect more inputs and insights on the priorities and to promote then the opportunities that will be developed.

Contributions to the session focusing on tools and specific regions were brought in by Giuseppe Provenzano, Project Manager at the Higher Education and Research Division of the UfM who presented the UfM Regional Platform in R&I, together with the studies conducted in the recent years analysing the connections between research, innovation, education and employability.

Furthermore, Policy Officers of the DG Research &Innovation working on different regions shared the ongoing and upcoming initiatives, presenting and discussing the innovation strategies for strengthened international collaborations.

Alessandro Calabrò, Policy Officer – Desk Med and Middle-East, Vincenzo Lorusso, Policy Officer – Desk AU-EU and Bernhard Fabianek, Policy Officer – Desk Western Balkans showcased an overview of the status of the art, the thematic priorities, the possibility to translate the R&I into tangible goods and services and the scalability of the results achieved in previous and current research projects.

Higher Education in crisis contexts: challenges, opportunities for students and researchers at-risk

The afternoon session of the second day was dedicated to the challenges and opportunities for students and researchers at risk. Sarah Field, Policy and Programme Manager of Scholars at Risk (SAR) coordinating the Inspireurope+ project and Stefanie Kottowski, from the German Academy Exchange Service (DAAD), Project Manager of SAFE – Supporting at-risk researcher with fellowships in Europe, presented the current phases of the projects and the role universities must play in encouraging dialogue, critical thinking and civic engagement and in preserving the right to think and share knowledge.

As commented by UNIMED Director, Marcello Scalisi, and inviting the universities to participate in hosting students and researchers at risk “We should be organised to host scholars at risk and refugees, it is an obligation for the Universities.” This aspect would also have an impact on the sustainability of these initiatives.

In this session, Prof. Saed Khayyat, Head of International projects unit at the An-Najah National University (ANNU) together with Marcello Scalisi, provided an overview and an update about the numbers of the students enrolled in TESI – Technical Education Support for Higher Education Students Initiative – launched in February 2024 by ANNU and UNIMED, and which is now at the end of its pilot phase.

“We will do everything in our possibilities to make and continue building a resilient and strong Higher Education system, able to support the right to study and the students, to allow them to remain students. With them the support goes to the whole Palestinian civil society”, said Prof. Khayyat to close his intervention.

More opportunities for researchers, but in the framework of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, were presented by Sohail Luka, Policy Officer at the DG Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, European Commission.

Meeting with DG EAC – Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture

On the last day, the UNIMED WEEK started by meeting with the DG EAC. Filip Van Depoele, Head of International Cooperation Unit, clearly said that the session was a way to make sure the voice of Universities is heard for the future of the Erasmus+ program.

Also in this case, the role of UNIMED was recognised as relevant as “its work has been instrumental for building the strongest network of academic cooperation” as added by Mr. Van Depoele.

Petra Kežman, Senior Advisor – Higher Education and Research at UfM, in the intervention stressed how this very moment is important and key to secure the funds for education, research, dialogue and to continue building the Euro-MED partnership that should not be taken for granted.

After this reminder about the key moments we are currently experiencing for the next programming period and its priorities and financial decisions, Policy Officers of the DG EAC working on regional levels presented an overview of the political engagements and the opportunities under the Erasmus+ including the Jean Monnet action.

Jens Lie Stokbro presented the focus on Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, Antoaneta Irikova focused on the Western Balkans and Georgiana Plesu, who – beside presenting the state of the art for the Southern Mediterranean countries – also introduced the conversation about the future of the Erasmus+ programme opening the floor for participants to express their worries, suggestions and comments.

With the idea of giving the floor to the students of the Mediterranean, Anne-Laurence Pastorini, UNIMED Project Manager, presented the work of the Mediterranean Student Summit, an initiative of UNIMED and ESN, highlighting the importance of creating space for dialogue among students from the two shores. She introduced some of the students’ recommendations for a better Higher Education System in the Mediterranean. These recommendations were elaborated during the last Summit held in September 2024.

Fostering educational partnerships to address Research and Innovation in the Africa-Europe relations

The UNIMED WEEK last session was dedicated to Africa – Europe partnerships and collaborations.

In the session organised by Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF) and UNIMED, and moderated by Holy Ranaivozanany – Deputy Executive Director at AEF, the speakers presented an overview on the relevance of science, culture and education for a transformative partnership.

Rachel Dubale, Research Officer at AEF anticipated some insights of the new edition of the AEF State of Africa-Europe Report on ‘Science, Culture, and Education’ that will be published next spring.

Elise Cuny, Chair at Culture Solutions presented some key findings of the research project “Skills’ Foresight: The Creative Economy and Untapped Potential of Cultural Cooperation for Africa-Europe Youth” led by Culture Solution and South Africa Cultural Observatory (SACO) and supported by AEF.

Shawgi Ahmed, Director of PLACE network, Krystel Sil Sikana, co-founder of 1.2 Diaries-Diaspora Climate Platform ASBL, and Maxim Vandekerckhove, Attaché at the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office contributed in the discussion with interesting elements about the importance of the Cultural and Creative Industries in the framework of Africa-Europe collaboration, for the youth employability and the need to update curricula in the Education systems to allow advancements and more fair exchanges among peers.

The session continued with Nathalie Clauter, UNIMED Project Manager, who showcased the projects where UNIMED is coordinator or partner that include African Sub-Saharan countries. Currently, UNIMED counts only Mauritania as country represented among its members, but it is working also with other countries such as Niger, Kenya, Botswana, Ethiopia, Cape Verde and Sao Tomé and Principé and is eager to further develop collaborations with other universities from the region.

Prof. Roberto Zanino, Rector’s Delegate for International University Networks at Politecnico di Torino, presented the work of Politecnico di Torino with African countries Universities through the ongoing definition of a cross regional Capacity building project involving Maghreb and Sub-Saharan countries.

This session and the ninth edition of the UNIMED WEEK IN BRUSSELS was closed by the UNIMED Director with the launch of the Africa-Europe Students Summit and with a message from the UNIMED Secretary General, Prof. Hmaid Ben Aziza, about the importance of academic cooperation in our region as an antidote to populism and the distorted use of new technologies that produce le fast-food de la pensée.